Florida Representative Trey Radel said he has no plans in resigning after being charged with drug possession and sentenced to a year probation, the Associated Press reported.
Radel plead guilty a month ago to drug charges after buying $250 worth of cocaine from an undercover agent in Washington D.C., who had been informed by Radel's normal drug dealer Radel was one of his customers, according to the AP.
Radel, 37, stated he refuses to resign and wants to "rebuild the trust" of voters and will cooperate with congressional investigators who will be monitoring his conduct, the AP reported.
Florida Governor Rick Scott asked Radel to resign and the House Ethics Committee said they would be conducting a thorough investigation of him, the AP reported.
"I love what I do and I'm going to return to what I do, what you sent me to do in Washington D.C., which is working for you and your family while I relish mine," Radel said at the news conference, according to the AP. "No one will take away my passion when it comes to serving southwest Florida."
Court documents state undercover federal agents were invited to Radel's house during the transaction and the representative showed them a vial of cocaine he had in his apartment, the AP reported. The documents also said Radel had purchased cocaine on other occasions.
After his arrest on Oct. 26, Radel hel re-election fundraisers and acted as if nothing happened until the story submerged in the media on Nov. 19, the AP reported. Shortly after his arrest went public he admitted to dealing with drug and alcohol abuse "on and off for year."
